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World Para Athletics Championships 2025
New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships: A Historic Success
The 12th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships, the biggest competition for para-athletes outside of the Paralympic Games, was held in New Delhi, India, from September 27 to October 5, 2025.
The event marked a significant milestone as it was the first time India and South Asia had hosted the championships, positioning the nation firmly on the global para-athletics map.
Key Details and Organization
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Host City & Venue: New Delhi, India, at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium.
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Dates: September 27 to October 5, 2025 (9 days of competition).
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Scale: The championships drew over 2,100 participants, including more than 1,000 elite athletes, from over 100 nations. It was the largest-ever para-sport gathering organized in India.
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Events: A total of 186 medal events were contested, featuring a full program of track and field disciplines for athletes across various impairment classifications (including visual, intellectual, cerebral palsy, amputation, and spinal cord injury).
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Infrastructure: The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was upgraded with a new, world-class MONDO track and enhanced athlete-friendly, accessible facilities, earning international praise for its high standards of organization and technical conduct.
Significance and Legacy for India
The 2025 Championships were heralded as a new era for para-sport in India.
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Best-Ever Performance: The host nation delivered its most successful performance in the history of the championships. India finished in 10th position in the medal tally, securing a record total of 22 medals (6 Gold, 9 Silver, and 7 Bronze).
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Inclusivity and Awareness: Beyond the competition, the event served as a powerful catalyst for promoting inclusion and raising awareness about para-sports within India and across the globe.
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International Praise: The World Para Athletics (WPA) body presented the organizers with a trophy for the successful hosting of the event, with WPA and IPC presidents expressing eagerness for India to host more such major international para-sport events in the future.
Athlete Highlights
The competition saw numerous record-breaking performances and triumphs of human will:
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Indian Stars: Indian para-athletes, many supported by the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), shone brightly on home soil. Highlights included Paralympic champion Sumit Antil (Javelin F64) winning his third world title, and Shailesh Kumar clinching India's first gold of the championships in the Men's High Jump T63 with an Asian record.
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Global Dominance: Countries like Brazil and the People's Republic of China led the medal table, underscoring their strength in the sport.
In summary, the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships were a resounding success, setting a new benchmark for hosting major para-sport events in India, celebrating the resilience of athletes, and inspiring a more inclusive future for sport worldwide.
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